jones



(No Model.)' 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 D. JONES.

SEWING MACHINE.

N0. 565,5 Patented Aug. 11,1896.

(No Model.) 5 Sh5ets-Sheet 2.

D. JONES. SEWING MAGHINE.

No. 555,543. Patented Aug. 11 1896.

(No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 3.

D. JONES. SEWING MAGHINE.

No. 565,543. Patented Aug. 11 1896.

flu m7" (No Model.) 5 Sheets- 8 59% D. JONES.

SEWING MAGHINE. v No. 565,543. Patented Aug. 11, 1896;

UNITED STATES PATENT FrrcE.

DANIEL JONES, OF BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND, ASSIGNOR TO THE T\VO-REELLOCK-STITCH SEWING MACHINE COMPANY, LIMITED, OF SAME PLACE.

SEWING-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 565,543, dated August11, 1896.

Application filed June 3,1893, Serial No. 476,531. (No model.) Patentedin England December 15, 1892, No. 23,092; in France May 20,1893, No.230,224,- in Germany May 20,1893, Nos. 75,918, 76,075, and 79,312; inSwitzerland May 25, 1893, No. 7,058; in Belgium May 25, 1893,No.104,818, and in Italy June 30. 1893,170. 34,164/74.

To ctZZ zuhmn it may concern:

Be it known that I, DANIEL JONES, a sub ject of the Queen of GreatBritain and Ireland, residing at 62 Albion street, Birmingham, in

the county of Warwick, England, have invented Improvements inSewing-Machines, of which the following is a specification, the saidinvention having been patented in Great Britain by Letters Patent No.23,092, dated December 15, 1892; in Belgium by Letters Patent No.104,818, dated May 25, 1893; in France by Letters Patent No. 230,224,dated May 20, 1893; in Germany by Letters Patent Nos. 75,918, 76,075,and 79,312, dated x 5 May 20, 1893; in Italy by Letters Patent No.

34,164/74, dated June 30, 1893, and in Switzerlandby Letters Patent No.7,058, dated May 28, 1893.

This invention relates to improvements in lock-stitch sewing-machines ofthe kind in which a rotary looper having at its rearward part a hook isused in conjunction with a take-up in such a manner that when a loop hasbeen carried by the hook partly around a reel-carrier which is freelysupported in a holder carried by an articulated arm a part of the loopwill be taken up by the take-up so that the loop will clear the hook,and the rest of such loop will be subsequently taken o up by the actionof the hook during the formation of the succeeding loop, and so on.

Now, the object of the present invention is to so construct and arrangethe various parts of the stitch forming and tension mechanism 5 of sucha machine as to render the same more simple and durable and capable ofbeing more readily manipulated than heretofore.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a longitudinal verticalsection, partly in eleo vation, of a sewing-machine constructed according to this invention, the presser-foot,

feed mechanism, and other parts being removed for the sake of greaterclearness. Fig.

2 is a front elevation of the same, the front cover being partly brokenaway. Fig. 2 is a detail view hereinafter referred to. Fig. 3

is an elevation, partly in section, of the reelcarrier. Fig. at is anelevation thereof as seen from the opposite side to that shown in Fig.3.

Fig. 5 is a section on the line (Z1413, Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is a developmentof the looper, except that the rearward hook is represented so as topoint, as it does in the actual looper, in the direction of rotation.Fig. 7 and 8 are vertical sections at right angles to each other of a 55 finger-thread clip according to this invention; and Fig. 9 is a planof the same. Fig. 10 is a transverse section taken through theupper-thread tension device. Figs. 11 to 20 are diagrammatic views,hereinafter referred to, illustrating the formation of a loop andstitch.

Fig. 1 and Figsll to 20,inclusive,are drawn to a smaller scale than theremaining figures.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 6, inclusive, 1 is the rotary looper, ofcurved-blade form, secured to the looper-shaft 1, which is mounted inbearings below the bed-plate of the machine. This looper, according tothis invention, is

provided with a hook 2, which points in the direction of rotation of thelooper and'projects into an opening 3, formed in the curved body of thelooper, the arrangement being such that the point of the hook is eitherwithin or does not terminate outside the outer surface of the body ofthe looper. By this means the hook is prevented from reengaging with thepreviously-formed loop, which has been partly drawn up by the take-up.The needle 4 of the machine descends through the opening in thework-plate, and the hook as it passes the eye of the needle engages withthe loop of the upper thread presented in the ordinary way by theneedle, the said loop being partially spread by the sides of the hook 2as the same continues to rotate. The external or edge formation of thelooper is such that during its continued movement the pointed rearportion 5* of the looper will turn or move into the loop, the inclined9o edges 5 5 of said rear portion acting to spread the loop and toassist in passing it under the reel-carrier 6.

24 is the take-up, by the action of which the loop is drawn clear of thehook 2 at a 5 certain point in each rotation of the looper, that part ofthe loop which is not taken up by the take-up being taken up by theaction of the looper itself while forming the succeeding loop, ashereinafter explained.

8 is a reel-holder in which the reel-carrier (J is supported. Thisholder is mounted between pivot-pins 8*, immediately under the bed orwork plate 9, in such a manner that it can be turned upon saidpivot-pins so as to occupy a position either above or below thework-plate at the will of the operator. The holder is provided with anarm 10, which serves as a handle for turning the holder into the desiredposition and also as a means for securing it in the working position.The front end of the bed-plate is formed with an opening or recess 11 toenable the holder to be turned above the bedplate, as indicated bydotted lines in Fig. 1, so as to allow of the reel-carrier 6 beingreadily placed in or removed from the holder. The opening 11 is providedwith a cover 12, arranged to slide in dovetail grooves, as shown in Fig.2, and by means of which the arm is held depressed so as to maintain theholderin proper working position. The holder, which may be tubular ormay consist of a framework, is provided with a spring-catch forretaining the carrier 6 therein. This catch comprises a spring-blade 8secured to the outer side of the holder and provided with a bent portion8", that normally projects beneath the lower edge of the carrier, and aspring-actuated catch 8, that extends through an opening in the saidspring-blade. The inoperative position of the spring-blade is shown indotted lines in Fig. 1, but when the blade is pressed inward the innerrecessed end 8 of the catch 8 engages with it and maintains it in thatposition.

The reel-carrier (i, which is cup-shaped, is placed in the holder 8 withits closed end uppermost. Depending from its closed end is a pin or stud13, upon which is mounted a tube 14. Upon this tube, which is freetorevolve on the pin 13, the commercial reel 15 or other suitablethread-carrier is placed, springs 16 being provided on the tube 14,which prevent any movement of the reel relatively to the tube. The tubemay advantageously be of the cross-section shown in Fig. 5. The loweropen end of the reel-carrier 6 is closed by a swinging bail 17 orequivalent device, which will prevent any loose coils of thread that maydrop from the reel during the rotation of the same falling in the pathof the rotating looper 1, said loose coils being drawn away between thelower end of the pin 13 and the bail, as required. The bail at thatside, 17,with whichthe loop is brought in contact is so shapedforexample, wedge-shaped, as shownthat it will tend to spread the loop overthe reel-carrier. It is pivoted at 17* to the reel-carrier, so that itcan be swung upon its pivots to uncover the open end of the carrier, asshown in Figs. 3 and 4, and is provided with spring horns or projections'18, which bear against the outer part of the reelcarrier and preventthe bail becoming accidentally displaced. The usual under tensionspring19 is fixed to the bail in the example illustrated, but it may, ifdesired, be fixed to the reel-carrier 6 itself.

Between the upper reel 20 and the usual upper or needle threadtensiondevice (shown at 21, Figs. 1 and 2) is arranged at the point 22, Fig. 1,a finger thread-clip adapted to norm ally press upon or clip the upperthread 23, which is released for a short period once during eachrevolution of the main shaft of the machine. This period of release isso regulated that only sufficient thread can then be drawn from theupper reel to form a stitch. The release occurs during the tying of thelast-formed stitch in the material. The finger thread clip that holdsthe thread 23 while the take-up lever 24 is operating to take up theslack thread prevents thread being drawn from the upper reel by theaction of the take-up. This finger thread-clip, which is shownseparately in Figs. 7, 8, and 9, comprises a fiat circular sheet-m etalspring 22*, fixed by means of screws 22" to the top of a flanged tube22, which is arranged upon the arm of the machine in such a manner as toproject into the interior thereof. Within the tube 22 is arranged afinger or plunger 25, formed at its upper end with a hook 25, underwhich the thread 23 is passed. The plunger carries at its lower end anantifriction-wheel 25, that is pressed by the action of a spiral spring26 toward the driving-shaft 27, on which is fixed a cam 27 by which thesaid wheel and plunger will be actuated once in each rotation of theshaft in such a manner that the. upper hooked end of the plunger will atthe required time come in contact with the spring 22 and raise the sameso as to release the upper thread. Upon the descent of the plunger thethread will be first clipped by the spring 22 at the point 22*, afterwhich the plunger 25, descending somewhat farther, will pull the threadinto the tube 22 and thus draw a fresh supply of thread from the upperreel, which thread will be taken up and used in the formation of a freshstitch when the spring is again raised. reel is prevented from affectingthe evenness of the tension.

The upper-thread tension device (indicated at 21 in Figs. 1 and 2, andshown in detail in Fig. 10) comprises a grooved wheel 28, around whichthe upper threadis passed, so that the wheel is caused to rotate by thepassage of the thread. This grooved wheel is mounted to rotate upon ashort sleeve or tubular boss 29, through which passes a loosely-fittingstud 30, the head 30 of which acts against the grooved wheel eitherdirectly or, as shown, through a dished plate 31, which is fitted on thestud, and the rim of which acts to force the wheel inward toward thefixed abutment 32, betweenwhich and the wheel is or may be placedanother dished plate 31.

32* are felt lubi'icatingwashei's, arranged between the sides of thewheel and the dished By this means the drag of the.

ICC

plates 31 and 31 30 engages with a suitably-bent spring 34 is anadjustable set-screw, by which the effort or tension of the spring onthe stud 30 can be adjusted so as to vary the power with which the studforces the grooved wheel 28 inward against its abutment, and thus theresistance tending to prevent the wheelturning. The sleeve or tubularboss 29 serves to protect the stud from transverse strains due to thepull of the thread round the wheeLwhereby the tension device is renderedmore sensitive than those usually employed. ner end of the said stud isarranged to engage with the presser-foot gear, so that the tension willbe released simultaneously with the raising of the presser-foot. Forthis purpose, in the arrangement illustrated, the cam 35 used forraising the presser-foot is formed with an aperture or recess 35*, Fig.2, which, when the presser-foot is down, comes opposite the inner end ofthe stud 30 and allows the said stud to be moved inward by the spring33. The said cam is also formed with an inclined surface or groove 35,which extends outward from the recess 35 and gradually decreases indepth, the arrangement being such that when the cam is operated to raisethe presser-foot the inner end of the stud will take into this grooveand will be thereby forced outward against the action of the spring 33,so as to relieve the wheel 28 from pressure.

Referring to Figs. 11 to 20, inclusive, which illustratediagrammatically the formation of a loop and stitch, Figs. 11 and 12 areviews at right angles to one another, illustrating the looper with hook2, the reel-carrier 6, with bail 17, the needle 4, the upper-threadtension device 21, and the take-up lever 24. In these figures the hook 2of the looper is shown engaged with and in the act of spreading a loop aof thread which has been formed in the usual manner previous to theengagement of the looper-hook 2 therewith by the upward movement of theneedle after it has passed through the material and work-plate into theopening 3 of the looper. The take-up lever 24 at this time isstationary.

Figs. 13 and 14 are similar views to Figs. 11 and 12, indicatingapproximately the relative positions of the parts after a partialrotation of the looper has caused the hook 2 to draw out the loop a,which as it is drawn out is spread by the inclined edges 5 of the rearportion of the looper.

Figs. 15 and 16 are corresponding views to Figs. 13 and 14, indicatingapproximately the relative positions of the parts at the moment the loopa is caused to pass the widest part of the reel-carrier 6. During themovement of the parts from the position shown in Figs. 13 and 14 to thatshown in Figs. 15 and 16 the loop a will be still further spread oropened by the action of the wedge-shaped part 17 a of the bail 17, so asto facilitate its passage around the widest part of reel-carrier, andthe take-up lever will descend to its lowest The inner end of the studof the carrier, the take-up will ascend so as to The infresh looppresented by the needle.

position. WVhen the loop has passed this part take up aportion of theslack thread, and as it rises more rapidly than the looper, it will actto draw the loop clear of the hook 2.

Figs. 17 and 18 show the relative positions of the parts when thetake-up has thus drawn the loop clear of the hook 2. As the loopercontinues to rotate the take-up will continue its ascent until the rearportion of the looper has been withdrawn from the loop, and as the pointof the hook terminates Within the opening 3 of the looper, all liabilityof the point of the hook rengaging the loop at this time is obviated.During the operation of the take-up the finger thread-clip at 22 isclosed upon the upper thread, thus preventing thread being drawn fromthe upper'reel by the action of the take-up.

Fig. 19 is a View corresponding to and showing the parts in the samerelative positions as in Fig. 14, the looper having passed the loop onaround the lower thread I) and engaged'a In drawing out this fresh loopthe looper-hook 2 as it continues its movement will complete the takingup of the first loop and tie or tighten the stitch thus formed, Fig. 20.Immediately upon the completion of the tying or tightening operation theupper thread 23 is momentarily released-from the finger thread-clip at22, and the slack previously drawn thereby from the upper reel is takenup by the looper.

As will be obvious, some of the hereinbefore-described improvements maybe used without others.

\Vhat I claim is 1. In a sewing-machine, the combination of a needle, atake-up device, a lower reelcarrier, and a rotary looper constructedwith a needle slot or opening for the passage of said needle and with apointed rearwardlyprojecting part located in rear of said slot oropening, and provided with two lateral outer guiding edges, and with anoutwardly-bent hook, that extends forwardly over-said slot or openingpoints in the direction 'of rotation, and has its point projecting intosaid slot or opening, thepoint of said rearwardlyprojecting part of saidlooper being adapted, during the rotation of the looper, to passthrough, and said two lateral edges to widen out in a directionperpendicular to the plane of rotation of the said hook, a loop ofthread held by said hook, so as to facilitate the passage of said looparound said lower reel-carrier, substantially as herein described forthe purpose specified.

2. A rotary looper for a sewing-machine, having a forward needle-slot 3and a rearwardly-projecting part 5* provided with two lateral outerguiding edges 5 and with an outwardly-bent or external hook 2 thatextends in a forward direction over said slot, points in the directionof rotation of the looper, and has its point terminating within saidneedle-slot, the point of said rearwardlyprojecting part being adapted,during the rotation of the looper, to pass through, and said lateralouter guiding edges being adapted to widen out in a directionperpendicular to the plane of rotation of said hook, a loop of threadheld by said hook, substantially as herein described for the purposespecified.

3. In a sewing-machine the combination with. a rotary looper and lowerreel-carrier, of a reel-holder 8 mounted to turn about a horizontal axisimmediately below an opening formed in the base-plate of said machine,and a spring-catch comprising a spring-plate 8 secured to said holderand provided with a bent portion 8 adapted to project beneath the loweredge of the reel-carrier within said holder, and a spring-catch 8 formedwith a recessed end 8 adapted to extend through a slot in said plate 8and engage therewith and hold the same in its closed positionsubstantially as herein described.

4:. In a sewing-machine, the combination of a rotary looper, a lowerpivoted reel-holder, and an inverted reel-carrier arranged within saidholder and provided internally with a pin fitted with a spring-tube, andexternally with a pivoted bail 17 adapted to extend around the loweropen end of said reel-carrier and formed with a wedge-shaped part 17 aand with projecting parts 18 substantially as herein described for thepurpose specified.

5. In a sewing-machine, the combination with the stitch-formingmechanism of a spring-plate arranged to press upon the thread, means forsupporting the said springplate and against which the said plate pressesthe thread to cause tension, a plunger arranged to lift the said springand provided with a hook which extends over the said thread, mechanismfor lifting the said plunger at regular intervals and a spring arrangedto force down the said plunger and cause its hook to draw on the threadsubstantially as and for the purpose set forth.

6. In a sewing-machine the combination with a needle, a lowerreel-carrier with holder, a looper arranged to revolve around saidcarrier, and a take-up device, of a combined finger thread-clip andthread-suppliermounted upon the arm of said machine and comprising aspringplate fixed at one part, adapted to bear at another part by itsown elasticity against a fixed surface and slotted for the passage ofthe upper thread over the fixed part and under the spring part thereof,a tubular holder fixed to the said arm and to which said spring-plate issecured, a separate spring-plunger arranged to slide through said holderand formed at its upper end with a hook under which said upper threadpasses, and a cam fixed on the driving-shaft of the machine and adaptedto raise said plunger against the action of its spring, said plungerwhen raised acting against the under side of said spring-plate so as tolift the plate against its own elasticity and release the upper thread,and when lowered to first release the springplate and then draw off afresh supply of thread from the thread-spool, substantially as hereindescribed.

7. In a sewing-machine the combination. of a needle a lower reel-carrierand its holder a looper arranged to revolve around said carrier, and atake-up device, of an upper-thread tension device arranged at the frontof the machine and comprising a grooved wheel around which the upperthread passes, a stud fitted with a sleeve and extending through thefixed front part of the machine, a diskplate 31 fitted upon said studand arranged between the head thereof and said grooved wheel adisk-plate 31 arranged between said wheel and the fixed part of themachine through which the stud passes, washers 32* of soft materialarranged between said wheel and said disk-plates, a bent spring actingagainst the inner end of said stud so to move the same inward,and aregulating-screw adapted to vary the action of said spring on said studsubstantially as herein described for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof I have signed. my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

DANIEL JONES.

\Vitnesses:

V. H. HARRIS, REGINALD TREW MORGAN.

